Ok, this month I bought a proper kit from Wilko's the brewing bucket, hydrometer, airlocks etc.
Instead of putting it in the airing cupboard this time I left it under the stairs which is much cooler, but not cold. Temp is about 18oC
Did everything as per the Youngs Lager instructions and within 24 hours I had plenty of bubbles coming up. I have left it now for 9 days but my hydrometer today and yesterday was reading 1.002, so I thought it was time to add the finings liquid. I poured it in and gave it a gentle stir. I tasted the sample I took to use the hydrometer in and it is very pale and doesn't taste very alcoholic. I will leave it another couple of days before bottling but think the taste is going to be sour like my previous attempt in the airing cupboard.
Has something gone wrong again?
Ding, ding, round two
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earwig999
Cool, thanks.
I was thinking as it has dropped right down it was virtually water. And yes sorry I added a 1kg bag of white granulated sugar.
I found last time after leaving it bottled in the fridge for a few weeks it became clear on its own but thought I would try the finings this time. Only trouble last time was no-one else would drink it as they said it tasted sour?
It did have a slightly cider taste but after a 2lt bottle you could tell you had been drinking. It was heavy though and gave a rough head in the morning.
I was thinking as it has dropped right down it was virtually water. And yes sorry I added a 1kg bag of white granulated sugar.
I found last time after leaving it bottled in the fridge for a few weeks it became clear on its own but thought I would try the finings this time. Only trouble last time was no-one else would drink it as they said it tasted sour?
It did have a slightly cider taste but after a 2lt bottle you could tell you had been drinking. It was heavy though and gave a rough head in the morning.
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gullarm
I have tasted a few of my early kits when they had brewed out and they tasted watery and a bit lame.
But you have to remember part of the taste comes from the secondary carbonation and also time.
Keep going at the brewing, but the one thing i would say is KEEP A LOG of everything you do, the time span of brewing is so long you cant remember what you have done.
Some of my best brews were at the start of my brewing days but I cant remember what I used or even did. I gave out a few bottles to mates and even they said it tasted really good, but I cant work it out!
I now attach labels to my king kegs and my brew bucket and have made a diary on my PC, so I can see what has gone on.
TIME
DATE - brewing day - kegging/bottling day
YEAST - standard or lager type ( which type )
CAMPDEN USED - how and when - how much
WATER - how much - left over night to remove chlorine - boiled - campden
KIT USED - name etc
PLACE OF BREW - House ( where ) - shed - outside back door
the list goes on...............................
But you have to remember part of the taste comes from the secondary carbonation and also time.
Keep going at the brewing, but the one thing i would say is KEEP A LOG of everything you do, the time span of brewing is so long you cant remember what you have done.
Some of my best brews were at the start of my brewing days but I cant remember what I used or even did. I gave out a few bottles to mates and even they said it tasted really good, but I cant work it out!
I now attach labels to my king kegs and my brew bucket and have made a diary on my PC, so I can see what has gone on.
TIME
DATE - brewing day - kegging/bottling day
YEAST - standard or lager type ( which type )
CAMPDEN USED - how and when - how much
WATER - how much - left over night to remove chlorine - boiled - campden
KIT USED - name etc
PLACE OF BREW - House ( where ) - shed - outside back door
the list goes on...............................
Last edited by gullarm on Thu Jul 24, 2008 10:16 pm, edited 2 times in total.